Merry Christmas...Not!!!
Featured in the group Extreme Close-ups in January 2009
I have not been successful at finding what butterfly this caterpillar matches but it is a nocternal butterfly. Though it is colorful and attractive to look at it is very poisonous. The birds know this and stay well away. The spines are sharp and cause serious rash and illness. So though this was close there was no chance I was going to touch this one!
(We’re getting closer! It’s not a butterfly caterpillar but a nocturnal moth caterpillar…species undefined as of yet!)
Merry Christmas...Not!!! belongs to the following groups:
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DottieDees
Excellent capture and good info…but anything with all these legs and body segments give me the chills….uke!!!
Blair Wainman replied
Thanks Dottie!! They look so harmless but it’s the brilliant colors that say “don’t touch”. One person who accidently touched it was sick and in pain all day!
Johanne Brunet
What an unusual specimen! I wouldn’t touch it either! I became curious and I looked too, but the closest thing I could find is the Io Moth carterpillar, which presents some similarities but is still different. Fantastic capture in any case! :-)
Blair Wainman replied
Thanks Johanne! I am uploading this to a blog on Neotropical Butterflies. I’m hoping someone may be able to help there! This one has to be the most unusual caterpillar I have ever seen!
Vickie Emms
oh my word! What a wonderful, absolutely wonderful macro of this caterpillar Blair. I can see every spine on it. Glad you knew not to touch it. Feature, feature!!! Looks like it’s wearing boots, haha
Blair Wainman replied
Thanks Vickie! Given how unusual it is, I’m hoping it may get someone’s attention. It will be better when I can get some additional information. I don’t feel like it’s complete without the information.
Heather Nel
wow this is really incredible …. lovely
Blair Wainman replied
Thank you so much Heather!!!
richardseah
Nice one, and love your title. If you take without the body, just the spines, would have looked even more like Christmas trees!
Blair Wainman replied
Thanks Richard!! I’ll see what a cropped version with just the spines looks like. It has all the Christmas colors anyway! Lol!!!
Jen Millard
Oh, awesome macro!
Blair Wainman replied
Thank you Jen!!
RickF
Awesome Macro!
Blair Wainman replied
Thank you Rick!!
LYN EVANS
Oh my word, what a shot. Yes, keep away…not too close. Superb macro image. Those spines would look great with baubles and lights on, they are just like mini Christmas trees LOL
Blair Wainman replied
Thanks Lyn!! As Richard said above, it might look more like a Christmas tree with just the spines! Then we could start adding garland and bows! Lol!!
TracyD
Wonderful macro incredible colour well done Blair!
Blair Wainman replied
Thank you Tracy!!
Sensiworld
Great macro !
Blair Wainman replied
Thank you Sylvia!!
Mindy McGregor
Great shot Blair!
Blair Wainman replied
Thank you Mindy!!
velveteagle
I looked it up also.. No luck… Its a great capture anyway Blair..
Chuck..
Blair Wainman replied
I am submitting to a blog on Neotropical Butterflies in hopes that someone there will be able to help.
Béla Török
Fabulous macro, Blair!
Blair Wainman replied
Thank you Béla!!
Fremme
impressive capture, impressive how mother nature has intented things, great shot
Blair Wainman replied
Yea, isn’t it interesting! I came away from those three days really amazed at how unique and well-designed things are in nature!! Can’t wait to go back and learn some more!!
Al Bourassa
Well taken shot Blair.
Blair Wainman replied
Thanks Al!!
Al Bourassa
Well taken shot Blair.
Michael Rucci
its awesome how mother nature makes the most colorful the most dangerous well done
mike
Blair Wainman replied
Thanks Mike!! It is really an incredible experience to see this in nature!
Lynda McDonald
fascinating !
Blair Wainman replied
Thank you Lynda!!
Junior Mclean
Wow!! Looks awesome though!!
Blair Wainman replied
Thank you Junior!!
Rebecca Bryson
Awesome…so ahhhhhhh how does this fella get a date???
Blair Wainman replied
Lol!! Good question. Looks like Check-mate to me!!
bevanimage
Ouch! Brilliant capture, with extraordinary details. They are amazing little eating machines, aren’t they?
Blair Wainman replied
Fascinating really!
Sharona
Great macro. Congratulations on your well deserved feature.
Blair Wainman replied
Thank you…thanks for the heads up! I didn’t know it was featured! Thanks again!!
Kay G Larsen
I wouldn’t have touched him either! : ) Congrats on your feature!
Blair Wainman replied
Thank you Kay…and for the congrats for the feature!
Michael Rucci
congrats on the feature blair well deserved
mike
Blair Wainman replied
Thank you Mike!!
LindaR
no if this isn’t a blow your mind macro!! Seriously Nature was having her fun this day ~ how cool~!!xx
Blair Wainman replied
Thanks Linda! It sure blew my mind!!
Antanas
Great capture, beautiful shot
Blair Wainman replied
Thanks so much!!
Larry Trupp
Hi Blair, this is an absolutely stunning capture, so much detail here and so colorful..This not a specimen anyone would pick up, with those prickly spines showing…Congrats on your feature my friend.
Blair Wainman replied
Thank you so much Larry! I still haven’t been able to write this up in my journal for today! Thanks so much for the congrats!!
Caren Schwartz
On being featured!
Blair Wainman replied
Wow! Thank you very much Caren!!
Karen Zimmerman
What an amazing shot of an amazing caterpillar!! I have found that bugguide.com is really good at IDing mystery insects. Where did you find it? It is gorgeous!!
cetrone 13 days ago
hahah – good one! re: NOT! still another amazing shot!
Blair Wainman replied 13 days ago
Thanks!! Glad you enjoyed the humor…but they are quite poisonous really!